The enhanced codeshare deal now allows travellers flying on Alitalia’s Rome–Beijing route to reach five new major Chinese citiesbeyond Beijing – Guangzhou, Xian, Chengdu, Chongqing and Shenyang – on a range of flights operated by China Southern which Alitalia will place its flight code.

The original codeshare agreement between Alitalia and China Southern started in July when Alitalia put its “AZ” flight code on China Southern’s Rome-Wuhan service and to onward flights operated by the Chinese airline to seven destinations beyond Wuhan – Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Qingdao, Chengdu and Wenzhou.

The strengthened commercial collaboration between the two airlines will provide travellers from Italy with further opportunities to reach some of China’s biggest business cities and for Chinese tourists to visit Rome and other parts of Italy.

Similarly, China Southern has placed its “CZ” flight code on Alitalia’s Beijing-Rome service and on numerous flights operated by the Italian airline from Rome to 19 Italian, European and South American destinations.

China Southern has been Alitalia’s partner in the SkyTeam alliance since 2007 and it is one of the four major airlines and SkyTeam partners in Greater China – together with China Eastern, China Airlines and Xiamen Airlines – with which the Italian carrier signed commercial deals.

Alitalia will operate this winter a four times a week direct Rome-Beijing service and it will also serve China in conjunction with Etihad Airways’ operated flights via Abu Dhabi to Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdou.